What If You & Me by Roni Loren is the second book in the Say Anything series. The first book, Yes & I Love You, was a favourite already and this one is joining the list. The Story is about Andy, A true-crime podcaster and Horror book Author who has a dark past and Hill, a retired firefighter who is trying to find the reason to live after an accident during a fire left him disabled. With the different outside personalities of Andy and Hill, it would be easy to trope it as opposites attract situation, with Andy is bubbly and Hill is a gruff werewolf type. But that where it ends. The story can be touted as a simple love story but the book dives deep into the complexities and insecurities of what makes the characters stand out. At no point, the books falter. It is a continuous stream and funny banter and deep emotions. I think my favourite part of the book, and it was the same with Yes & I Love You, is the maturity of the characters. The plot is like a slice of real-life and the honest communications keep it endearing. Instead of making it a dramatic misunderstanding, the book focuses on characters choices and insecurity to build a genuine question of how will they end up together.

Hollyn and her social anxiety is a boat I already am in but Andy and her strong will just won me over. Andy and Hill with their understanding of each other's misgivings gave me life. I liked that other characters made an appearance to tie up the friendships. I loved Andy's romantic comedies are the real horror analogy. If you haven't picked up the Say Anything series, please do.

What If You & Me by Roni Loren is the second book in the Say Anything series. This novel follows Andi Lockley, author and host of a true crime podcast. She has a grumpy new neighbor, Hill Dawson, a retired firefighter who steps into the her role one night when Andi fears someone has broken into her home. Hill and Andi form a tentative friendship while dealing with their own demons and anxiety.

I absolutely adored this book. After reading the first in the series, I was so excited to dive into this one. I really appreciate Roni Loren's ability to give her characters depth. The characters are so well written that their emotions can be felt from the pages, and there is certainly a lot of emotion packed into this book. Andi and Hill both have their own struggles, and I felt that this book wonderfully handled anxiety, trauma, and physical disability. Additionally, the tension between these characters and the anticipation of the eventual steam was perfect! I would recommend this title again and again for any romance reader.

Although this is the second book in the Say Anything series, it could be read as a standalone though there are appearances of characters from book one. Also, if you haven't read book 1 in this series, Yes & I Love You, you should definitely check it out because it is wonderful! I can't wait to see what's next in the Say Anything series.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the ARC of this title, which did not affect the contents of my voluntary review. All opinions are honest and my own.

Roni Loren has become one of my favorite authors, after reading Yes & I Love You, I couldn't wait for What If You & Me. I was not disappointed in the least. What If You & Me was an immersive experience and I couldn't put it down.

Andi is a published horror writer and a true crime podcaster who is more than meets the eye. Andi is dealing with anxiety and post-traumatic stress from an event that happened to her in high school. She's living life on her own and is content, or so she thinks. When an ill-timed scream in a horror movie she's watching late at night brings her neighbor, Hill, to her front door, Andi's life gets turned upside down. Hill is a retired firefighter who is dealing with his out trauma; losing his fiancée and the lower part of his leg while fighting a fire. Hill is not looking for a relationship, especially from someone that might pity him, which he incorrectly assumes Andi will do. As Andi and Hill spend more time together, they transition from friends to benefits to something more that might help them heal from their trauma.

CW: PTSD, anxiety, depression, assault, physical disability, doxxing, threatening internet trolls, partner infidelity

I loved Andi in Yes & I Love You and as I got to know her more in What If You & Me, I could relate to her intrusive thoughts, obsession with true crime, and need to be prepared and aware of your surroundings. Andi was unafraid to say that she had anxiety, from the minute we met her, and in her story we learn that's just who she is. She's unapologetically herself and it makes me want to be more like her, brave and unafraid. I also loved how she could talk for hours about horror and true crime, it made me want to be her best friend.

Hill was the perfect character for Andi to love. He was patient with her and so incredibly respectful and understanding of her boundaries. He reminded me a lot of my boyfriend, who when made aware of my past trauma, also made sure I always knew he would listen to me. I wish that Hill had a real cooking channel that I could watch. I loved the food descriptions and literally squealed with delight as he talked about tomatoes, I will soon be making some pico de gallo with cherry tomatoes.

I loved What If You & Me, it's easily in the top 10 of the books I've read this year. I loved that we got to see Hollyn and Jasper and I hope that Eliza gets a book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

First thing I'm gonna say is that I am a huge Roni Loren fan. Huge.
This book did not disappoint in the big scheme of Loren books. It had everything i love about a Roni Loren book: great characters, heart, real world problems and issues, sexsexsexx plus it's part of a series - and I hope book 3 will be about Erika!

Having said that, the one issue I had was with Hill. Well, not so much with him as about him. Loren tells us many times in the book - and references a number of times - his depression and PTSD. But we never see it. It's said as a throwaway line, like I'm dealing with depression, or I have nightmares. Contrast that with Andi's issues - which we get a real sense for because they are shown to us, Now, is that a picky detail? yeah, it is. But i really liked Hill Dawson and I wish I could have seen how he dealt with the nightmares. We're told he tried to work out at all hours of the night but we never saw him do it.

Aside from that, this is a wonderful story about two traumatized people who deal with their issues very differently and yet are able to come together and find love, peace with their pasts, and understanding. The secondary cast of characters are fabulous and well drawn foils for the hero and heroine as well
4.5 stars. thanks Netgalley and SOurcebooks for a sneak peek!

Andi is a horror writer dealing with PTSD from an assault when she was a teen. Hill is a former fire fighter suffering from depression after an injury ended his career. As neighbors, they do little more than wave in passing, despite a mutual attraction. Both have been burned by love. But one night, when Andi finds her door ajar, she runs to Hill's house to call the police. They're soon bonding over cooking and horror movies. Could two such damaged people have a future together, or will their relationship go down in flames?

I've loved Roni Loren since her debut, and this book is yet another phenomenal novel. Her writing is so vivid, the characters so real, you can't help but be drawn in. This book has more of a suspense feel than the first book in the series, but the love story dominates. Andi is bubbly and Hill on the grumpy side, but they're perfect together. And the steamy scenes are hot, hot, hot!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really enjoyed these two main characters. I liked how they ended up being a great balance for each other. This does cover some pretty heavy topics, and I thought they were written about really well!

Andi Lockley has experience a lot of trauma in life, but that doesn’t stop her from wanting to live life to the fullest. She channels everything she has into her writing and her podcast. When her loud neighbor, firefighter Hill Dawson, helps her during a break in, their paths collide and a bond starts to form.

This is a slow burn romance that deals with heavy topics, not a fluffy romance that allows for an escape. In this case, it’s a really good thing. The writing is great and I could really feel Andi’s pain and feel empathy for what she went through.

I really liked the trope of the happy sunshine person and the grumpy person. They played off of each other well and opened up to each other in a way that felt natural.

4.5 Swoony Stars for the second in this series that is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romances.

We met Andi in the first book (Yes & I Love You) and I was so excited to see her getting her own book. She's a podcaster and horror writer who meets Hill Dawson when she moves into the other half of the duplex he owns. Hill is such a cinnamon roll hero (literally, he cooks - it's amazing) and the way he takes care of Andi is so tender and intimate. Roni Loren writes beautiful steam that serves to move the story and the character development forward in such a lovely way and this book is no exception.

I appreciated getting to know so much of Andi and Hill's backstory, but readers should be aware of an abundance of sensitive content prior to reading. This book touches on previous sexual assault, assault on page (not sexual), gaslighting, parental abandonment, PTSD, physical disability after an accident, and other sensitive content.

Thank you to SourceBooks and NetGalley for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

After reading Yes and I Love You, I was very interested in Andi's book. She was such a curiosity to me. She refused to give up on making friends with Hollyn and her perceived RBF, seemed so happy with her lot in life, and was invested in her horror stories and podcast. The juxtaposition for this affable girl and her jobs of choice were fascinating.
Andi by day is extroverted and buoyant. By night, she writes horror novels and does research for her podcast by watching Scream at high decibels. Mostly to drown out the cowboy music that comes through the thin walls from her practically invisible neighbor, Hill.
I did not read reviews or much of the context of this book prior to binge reading it. Based on Yes and I Love You, I expected a lot more humor in addition to a great character arc and romance. While the humor was largely diluted in comparison, Roni wove in a plot that kept me on my toes. The direction was unexpected but equally enjoyable. I appreciate Roni's ability to give her characters depth.
I mixed media for this read, going back and forth between the e-book and audiobook. When I can, this is a great method to read through a book in "one sitting". I can easily switch between the two depending on what life throws my way. The narrator, Desiree Ketchum, does a great job invoking Andi's feelings, whether its love or fear.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the advanced copy and Dreamscape Media for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This will be posted on the Romance Reviews Today website at http://romrevtoday.com/ in July..

WHAT IF YOU & ME – Roni Loren
Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1-4926-9325-3
July 6, 2021
Contemporary Romance

Andi Lockley is a horror crime author and also hosts a podcast called What Can We Learn From This?, which is about true crime cases. She writes at night and recently moved into a duplex. Her next-door neighbor (whom she’s dubbed “werewolf”) is active at night. One night, while watching a horror film, another passion of hers, there is a loud bang on her door. The doorknocker claims he is with the fire department. While Andi inwardly questions whether the man is really a fireman, she does open the door—and comes face-to-face with her next-door neighbor. Seems he heard some loud screams and came to rescue her. Andi explains to him that it was on the movie she was watching.

Hill Dawson is a former firefighter, but after being disabled in a firefighting accident, he is trying to build a new life. He owns the duplex but has left the management to a company, so Andi isn’t aware that he is the owner. Hill often has nightmares of his accident, which is why he is up late into the night. But hearing the screams has his protective instincts kicking in. Finding out she is okay should relieve him, but after she comes screaming to his door a few nights later, he is indeed now her protector. Andi found her backdoor wide open, and she insists that she locked it. She was terrorized as a young woman and her PTSD is kicking in. A big question remains: is she imagining that someone broke into her place? Meanwhile, Andi gets to know Hill…really well.

In WHAT IF YOU & ME, Hill and Andi find a mutual attraction after sparks fly between them. Hill was severely injured in an accident that left him scarred and his lower leg missing. For this reason, he has kept to himself. In fact, he didn’t introduce himself to his new next-door neighbor. But all that changes when he hears screams coming from Andi’s apartment. While he tries to keep her at arm’s length at first, he discovers that he finds her attractive. As for the incident where her door is found open, Hill believes Andi isn’t hallucinating. She’s too smart. Unfortunately, the responding police officer happens to be Hill’s ex-fiancée. Things are awkward—at first.

Andi’s podcast and books do attract odd people, mostly those who leave nasty comments under her posts. She brushes it off as just some online trolls, but did one of them decide to take things into their own hands? Andi still has nightmares about the man who terrorized her years ago—turns out she slept with a serial killer. The connection between Hill and Andi runs deep. She introduces him to her horror movie collection while Hill, who is a great cook, brings her wonderful food. Their friendship soon turns into an affair, but neither can see it going beyond a fling. Yet, the threat that hovers over Andi brings them even closer. Is it a legitimate threat or a figment of her imagination?

There is a mixture of both fun and tense moments in WHAT IF YOU & ME. Hill and Andi have a slam-bang introduction that is cute. Slowly and surely, two people who have a hard time opening up about themselves soon develop a trust. Will they find love? Discover the answer by picking up a copy of WHAT IF YOU & ME.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had such an emotional and heartwarming love story. Absolutely enjoyed every bit, from the characters, dialogue and overall storyline. It also dealt with some difficult topics and scenes that were handled with such care.

The main character, Andi Lockley is a horror writer and podcaster who struggles with a post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Her journey with overcoming her intimacy and relationship struggles was incredibly written and developed. Her character felt so relatable and her quirky disposition was just charming.

The main love interest, Hill Dawson is a retired firefighter who also struggles with a post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. His journey and growth throughout the book felt so realistic and honest.

Their relationship was definitely a slow burn and really just amazing. Their progression from friends to lovers was so well executed and all the trust, patience and respect they had for each other was beautiful. One thing I loved most about their relationship was how there was a constant line of communication and respected boundaries.

All the horror movie references and how it was incorporated throughout this book was just incredible. Andi’s obsession with true crime and horror were so entertaining and all the discussions regarding the genre was well written.

Overall, just an enjoyable and heartwarming story of two individuals working on overcoming their struggles and finding happiness.

Andi is a woman on a mission to help all women be as safe as they can. She went through some serious trauma when she was a teen and wants to help women avoid putting themselves at risk. While she writes horror novels, she runs a podcast called, What Can We Learn From This?” She tells stories about crimes and how women can be more careful, and what they can learn from past incidences.

She’s just moved into a duplex when she hears stomping on the other side of the wall. When she starts watching a horror movie, which includes screaming of course, her neighbor bangs on her door. Meeting Hill Dawson, retired firefighter scares her as she doesn’t know him, but she’s definitely attracted to him.

Hill didn’t ever want to retire from the fire department, but after losing part of a leg in a fire, he didn’t have a choice. He’s dealing with his life, depression and a whole host of other things when he meets Andi. She seems to have her life together, but she’s also a scared rabbit and something in him wants to calm her.

The pair decide to act on their attraction to each other but only as friends-with-benefits. The question is, can they hold back the deeper feelings they have for each other?

This was a cute story. We slowly, throughout the story, find out what happened to Andi when she was younger – which was pretty scary. I can see how she would be more than a bit paranoid of life in general. I loved how that trauma didn’t stop her from putting herself out there and making a name for herself with her books and podcasts.

Hill was a super nice guy, and I really loved him and Andi together. That said, he pulls a stunt near the end of the book that had me rolling my eyes and getting incredibly frustrated with him. It really stopped a lot of the enjoyment I was getting from the story. If this hadn’t had happened I would have scored this book much higher.

Overall it was cute contemporary romance. I didn’t read the first book in this series, but didn’t feel like I needed to in order to enjoy this book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Yes & I Love You was one of my favorite books this year, so I was so excited to receive an early copy of What If You & Me from Sourcebooks.

Andi was one highlight of many from the first book, and I couldn’t wait to dive into her story. She is a crime writer and podcaster, and learning about serial killers every day plus her own life experiences has led to some pretty serious anxiety. Hill is a firefighter suffering from PTSD and grief over a failed engagement. They are undeniably attracted to each other, but neither is in the place to start a new relationship.

I love how these two characters were able to lean on each other for support, and understand each others’ trauma through the lens of their own. Their chemistry was also spot on! This book was a little less steamy than the first one in the series, but I still loved the romantic scenes.

I can’t wait to see who the next book in the series will be about! I’m guessing Eliza, since she was really the only outside character besides Jasper and Hollyn.

This needed a sensitivity reader for anxiety as well as CW - as someone who lives with anxiety I was less than impressed and disappointed as this is an author I have enjoyed in the past.

I recently finished What If You & Me by Roni Loren and I looooved it! I sometimes hesitate with new to me authors, especially in romance, because I sometimes find myself being very picky. Roni Loren certainly delivered an emotionally sweeping love story between to people struggling through their traumas. What I loved about this story was how Andi and Hill on the surface ticked the sunshine and grump trope, but as you peeled the layers back you saw how Andi used her outgoing personality as a shield from the trauma she experienced when she was younger. Hill is a retired firefighter who had his dream career cut short after an injury from a fire caused him to lose half of his leg. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and it was a beautiful balance to Andi who was more guarded. I really loved seeing these two learn to heal together. This story had several emotional and triggering topics but Loren handled it with such care. I was so impressed with this story and look forward to reading more from this author!

After I fell in love with Hollyn and Jasper in Yes & I Love You, I was so excited to know that Andi was getting her own book. And I was also so nervous because what if I didn’t love Andi’s story as much as Hollyn’s? And then I read this book and I have to say that I am even more in love with Andi than I thought possible. And when you combine Andi with her grumpy (werewolf) hero, Hill - it’s absolute magic.

Andi Lockley is Hollyn’s best friend and also the woman who truly helped her get comfortable with people. Andi is a best-selling author of horror and thriller novels, she’s also the host of a true crime podcast and she’s a strong female lead who is dealing with her anxiety and past one step at a time. Andi is such a wonderful character and after all the trauma that she’s gone through, it’s so empowering to see her take those steps forward to get away from a life she no longer wants anything to do with. Andi is vibrant and full of life, but she’s also got her demons and she doesn’t let anybody see them. She keeps them locked away, because it’s easier to just be with people without letting them see all of you.

And then there’s Hill Dawson. Sexy, older, retired firefighter Hill Dawson. Andi refers to him as a werewolf because he’s tall and imposing and has a gorgeous beard. Hill is a grumpy werewolf, but he’s also a cinnamon roll and that is literally my favourite combination for a hero. After an accident during a fire, Hill lost a portion of his leg and had to leave the firefighting job behind. But now with a prosthetic in place, he lives a quiet life and doesn’t really enjoy having people poke around in his life. Unlike Andi, Hill is definitely a broody, grumpy werewolf and he likes his own routines and habits. And with the PTSD keeping him up at night and frustrations with his ex lingering, Hill isn’t always the most pleasant person to be around.

But none of that stops Andi.

These two...Andi and Hill are the epitome of grumpy x sunshine and I loved it so much! Their entire relationship was so perfect. I should tell you that is the slowest of slow burns, but it’s perfect and it will have you panting for more all the damn time. They start out with the most unlikely friendship and I love how both of them drop their walls a little at a time. For Andi, being alone with a man can be traumatic and for Hill, letting someone into his life is hard. But together, they find the balance. And they somehow manage to make it work. There’s so much to love about their slow burn relationship, but let’s start with Andi introducing Hill to horror movies and as an expert, she’s not going to toss him into the deep end. Then Hill teaches Andi how to cook and they combine movie nights with cooking nights and it’s all kinds of perfect, really.

I’d also like to point out that there’s cooking scene that is funny, punny and truly quite erotic. That’s the kind of chemistry these two have, that they can turn almost anything into something sexy.

Because of their respective traumas - please be very aware that there’s a lot of hard topics that the book tackles, some of it could be triggering - Andi and Hill aren’t letting the other into their lives. And because it’s a deliciously slow burn, you fall in love with these characters as they fall in love with each other. Every step forward is so beautifully explained and I love how Roni Loren took care and patience to make sure that it wasn’t just a passing comment. Their trauma is real and their struggles to overcome those things are hard. But Hill and Andi want to help each other, they want to go beyond just being friends and in order to cross that line, they both need to accept things that they might not enjoy.

While not as hot and steamy as Yes & I Love You, Andi and Hill’s relationship is hot in its own way. Their connection, the sexual tension and all of the build up is really what gets you going. Their relationship is emotional as much as it is physical and that’s something that you don’t always get a lot of in romance. It’s what I really loved about their story too. Hill and Andi don’t shy away from expressing how the other makes them feel - Hill compliments Andi on her smarts, her beauty, her wit and her general being all the time and it’s so comforting. And he’s not doing it just to make Andi feel happy or calm her down, he’s genuinely attracted to her. And the same goes for Andi, she loves to call Hill a werewolf and she doesn’t hold back when it comes to talking about how sexy and big and attractive he is. I need more characters gushing about each other all the time.

Truly, Andi and Hill’s story is one that I think everyone needs in their lives. It’s hard at times, to process the truths of their lives. But it’s also so beautiful to see that no matter what you’re going through or your struggles, you deserve to be loved in every way. And like the first book in the series, Roni Loren tackles these topics with so much care and she gives these characters solutions and a chance to heal. I want and need more Andi and Hill, so whoever the next book is about (please be Eliza!) I want a lot more of them.

What If You & Me is the second book in Roni Loren’s Say Everything series. This book follows Andi Lockley, a true crime podcaster and horror fiction novelist as she falls in love with her hot retired firefighter neighbor. Both Andi and Hill are battling their pasts: for Andi it is a traumatic episode from her teens that has left her with severe anxiety, and for Hill it is depression following the partial loss of his leg and the ending of his career in the Fire Department. Both of them are stuck, and they need each other’s help to get out of their ruts. I honestly have no words, this is a truly beautiful love story that I think everyone should read. Neither of these people are perfect and they both believe themselves undeserving of love. The journey they take to find themselves in a happy and healthy relationship is a long and bumpy one but the HEA is worth it!

Another fantastic romance from Loren!

I have a real weakness for romance book characters who are able to confront their pasts and find the strength in themselves to rise above. All the better when they are able to find their soulmate in the process!

I found this book to be an emotionally charged, beautiful love story. Andi and Hill are survivors and I adored their honesty and bravery in this neighbors to lovers romance.

It also says quite a lot about Loren’s fantastic writing and storytelling for me to love a book that centers on two things that I loathe- horror movies and sociopaths.

I could let the horror movies things slide but I really try to skip over books about abuse or crimes against women.

I wasn’t aware of the heavy past Andi had to overcome but I stuck with this book because I couldn’t let Andi down. I HAD to hear her happy ending which she did get but it was so much more.

Her growth, bravery and complete honesty with Hill is what made this book for me. She was never portrayed as a sad, helpless victim but as a woman who kept putting one foot in front of the other.

I loved how she was willing to push herself with Hill and open up to him. He was the perfect, trusting man for her to do so.

While I loved Andi, I also fell for Hill. He too was a survivor having lost part of his leg in a fire and his fiancé after cheating on him with his best friend.

I loved seeing him come out of his isolation and depression to be there for Andi, but she also enabled him to see him for his worth.

Tortured heroes are my catnip so I loved seeing Hill move past his blocks that he wasn’t physically attractive any more because he sure got my attention!

If you love romance books with strong characters, amazing storytelling and great writing, Loren’s books are for you. I adored this neighbors to lovers romance and highly recommend it.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

What If You & Me by Roni Loren
Series: Say Everything Book: 2

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰, 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸―𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴.

𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘋𝘢𝘸𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘣𝘰. 𝘏𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘪'𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰. 𝘚𝘰𝘰𝘯, 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘳. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦...𝘪𝘧 𝘈𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧―𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦―𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯.

When I say this was an easy read, it isn't a criticism. I love a book that I can read and feel good about and just enjoy. And that was this book.

It also definitely helps that Andi and Hill's "Neighborly Exchanges" gave me butterflies....

Hill was it and a bit, and I definitely recommend taking this book for a wine and dine experience because 😍 WOW.

Andi Lockley is a horror book author and also hosts an amazing podcast focusing on crimes against women (or anyone really) and learning new ways to protect herself and her listeners from the same mistakes leading up to these macabre scenes.
Hill is a grumpy neighbor... Definitely a good looking grumpy neighbor. And when Hill and Andi meet things start to get interesting.
This sequel is incredible and really stands on it's own. It deals with disability and mental health in such an incredible way. I also loved the contrast between Andi's Sunshine and Hill's grumpiness making the romance absolutely perfect!